This is a 12 folks, not a 14. The racks were very restrictive. Large plates in the middle section, saucers and smaller plates in the side rails. You can, of course put pans down there, but you block water to the top rack.
The manual reads,"The lower rack is for your platters, dinner, salad and dessert plates, saucers and other flat pieces and also for large milk bottles, pots, pans and pitchers too large for the upper rack."
1. "Place your dinner, salad and dessert plates in the center section of this rack (platter in the backspace), soiled surfaces facing front. Lean them slightly backward."
2. "Place saucers and additional plates on either side of the center section, parallel with the sides of the rack. Lean them slightly outward with the soiled surfaces facing the center section."
"LOADING Pots, Pans, Bottles and Large Bowls in Combination with your TABLEWARE"
"Because of the flexibility in loading allowed by the advanced design of the two-position upper rack in your KitchenAid, it is easy to load pots and pans and similar utensils in combination with your tableware."
"Place your pots, pans and utensils, bottomside up, preferably in the upper rack--if space permits. If lower rack is used for pots and pans, do not load that portion of the rack directly above--as the wash action in that area is diminished." (Now there is an understatement!)
"Many KitchenAid dishwasher owners find it most convenient to wash pots and pans and other cooking utensils while enjoying their lunch or dinner." (Life is so much more elegant when one does not serve from the pans themselves. What this does to the concept of second helpings of hot food, "There's plenty more on the stove," I don't know. This obviously was not written from a Jewish mother's point of view where family and guests are not sufficiently fed unless they need assistance getting up from the table after a minimum of two helpings, if not three.)